Inflation device for jet engine containers



Oct. 12, 1954 M. JORDAN 2,691,475 INFLATION DEVICE FOR JET ENGINECONTAINERS Filed Nov. 7, 1952 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 12 1954 UNITED STATES PATNT DFFICE INFLATION DEVICE FORJET ENGINE CONTAINERS Leo M. Jordan, South Bend, Ind, assignor to TheStudebaker Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a

corporation of Delaware Application November 7, 1952, Serial No. 319,377

(Cl. 2Z6-2t.6)

having particular utility for automatically filling large containers,such as are used for the storage and shipping of jet engines or thelike, with fluid such as air at a designated pressure.

The apparatus of my present invention is designed and constructed forautomatically filling or charging containers from a source ofpressurized fluid, for example, compressed air, and includes valve meansfor isolating my device from the source of pressurized fluid,automatically actuated charging control valve means, additional controlvalve means automatically actuated to isolate a measuring sectionwherein the pressure of the fluid charged to a container is to bemeasured, a cam actuated contact system for automatically andsequentially operating the charging and measuring control valve means,an electrical circuit associated with the cam actuated contact systemfor operating the same and a pressure responsive switch means capable ofdeenergizing the circuit to stop the charging operation of my apparatusunder certain conditions.

Although the apparatus disclosed herein has particular adaptability forcharging large containers such as are employed for housing and shippingjet engines, it is also capable of being utilized for charging anddispensing pressurized fluid to other styles of containers such aspneumatic tires, balloons, storage cylinders, etc. Be that as it may, itwill be appreciated from a description of my apparatus which follows,that the same is distinguished by its simplicity of construction anddependability of operation thereby readily lending itself to a varietyof uses and having particular adaptability in production line work ofindustrial mass production systems.

The main object of my present invention is to provide a new and improvedfluid dispensing apparatus capable of automatically charging containersto a predetermined pressure level.

A further object of my present invention is to provide a new andimproved fluid dispensing apparatus in which means are provided forautomatically charging a container with pressurizedfluid and measuringthe pressure of the fluid in the container so charged.

The above and further objects, features and advantages of my presentinvention will be recognized by one familiar with the art from thefollowing detailed description and specificafidn therefor and withreference to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, the single figure shown sets forth a schematicrepresentation of a device embodying the features of my presentinvention and showing in diagrammatic set up the functionalinterrelation between the various mechanical ele ments and theelectrical circuit associated therewith whereby I accomplish thecorrelated and sequential operation of the various valving meansemployed to bring about the above set forth objects of my invention.

- Referring now to the drawing, it will be recognized that aconventional compressor and storage tank system H), constructed andarranged to supply pressurized fluid, such as air, at pressures in theneighborhood of lbs. per square inch for example, is connected bysuitable piping II to a manually operated shut-off control valve [2.Connected to control valve I2 is a charging chamber l3 comprisingsuitable piping, or the like, fitted with a flexible filling hose 1 4.Filling hose I4 is fitted with a hose connector valve I5 of conventiona1 design adapted to engage a charging connection on thecontainer being filled. Disposed at one end of the charging chamber 13and intermediate the filling hose l4 and the manually actuated linecontrol shut-off valve 2, is a high pressure charging control valve l6actuated by a solenoid ll. At the opposite end of the charging chamberi3 is a measuring control valve [8, similar to Valve l6, and havingassociated therewith a second electrical solenoid l9. Both of thesolenoids I1 and IQ, of course, are electrically responsive toenergization and deenergizaticn of the respective circuits associatedtherewith as will be described herein presently. Leading from the righthand end of the charging chamber l3, as shown, and communicating withchamber l3 via the measuring control valve :8, is a pressure measuringchamber indicated generally by numeral 20. Chamber 20 comprises asubstantially straight length of piping, or the like, fitted with apressure responsive gauge 24 and a pressure release safety valve 22,labeled PR in the drawing. Leading from the right hand end of themeasuring chamber 20, as viewed in the drawings, is a pipe section 23communicating between the measuring chamber and a pressure responsiveswitch means indicated generally at 25. Switch 25 is fitted with acontact arm 26 and is adapted to interrupt the circuit of my device inthe presence of excessive pressure within measuring chamber 20 as wi lbe related presently. Switch 25 is further of a conventionalknown'variety and has means embodied therewith whereby the pressure atwhich such will actuate the contact carrying arm 26 to an open circuitposition may be regulated as desired.

Turning now to the electrical portion of the device of my presentinvention, it will be recognized from the circuit in the drawing that Ihave embodied therein a normally open start switch 30, a normally closedstop switch 3|, a solenoid relay 32, cam actuated contact arms 33 and34, an electrical motor 35 designed to rotate cam members 36 and 31, thepressure responsive switch means 25 and the valve actuating solenoids I1and 19. A source of electrical potential for supplying the circuit isharnessed by means of a wall plug 38 or the like. In detail, plug 38 isof a conventional variety adapted to connect the apparatus of my presentinvention to a source of electrical potential such as a 110 volt, 60cycle, A. 0., conventional power supply. Leading from plug 38 are twoline conductors 39 and 49. Condoctor 39 is interconnected with onecontact 4! of the start switch 39 by means of a branch conductor 42. Itwill be recognized that the start switch 30 is adapted to bridgecontacts 4| and 43 to supply current to a short conductor 44 which isconnected to a secondary conductor 45 joined be.- tween one contact 46of the normally closed stop switch 3| and the solenoid coil 41; of therelay 32. Coil 41 further connects to the terminal end of the, lineconductor 40 to which wall plug 38 is attached. It will thus berecognized that with the wall plug 38 joined to the source of electricalpotential, closure of start switch 33 to bridge con: tacts 4i and 43permits energization of coil 4.? of

the solenoid relay 32 thereby to close contact arm 48 with contact 49.Contact arm 48 is also di-. rectly connected to line conductor 39.Contact 49 is in circuit with a conductor 50 leading to a secondaryconductor 5! interposed between con-.. tact 52 of stop switch 3! andcontact 53 of the pressure responsive switch 25. It will thus berecognized that with the stop switch 3! in its normally closed positionacross contacts 52 and 4.6. thereof and the relay arm 48 in circuitclosed relation with the contact 43, opening of the start switch 30 willpermit the continued energization of coil 41 of relay 32 via the.circuit through the closed stop switch 3i by way. of line conductor 35,relay arm 48, contact 49, conductor 50, conductor 51, stop switch 3! andcontacts 52 and 46 thereof, and conductor 45 leading to relay coil 4!con-.-. nected to line conductor 49. Thus the. circuit through the startswitch, including conductors 39, 42, 44 and 45 constitutes a temporaryholding cire cuit for the initial electrical energization of myapparatus.

As will be recalled, one side of the. pressure responsive switch 25 isin circuit with the stop switch 3| by means of conductor 5!. Therefore,closure of the switch arm 26 with contact 53 permits energy to flowacross the pressure responsive switch 25 to conductor 55. to energize.motor 35, which is joined to the negative, side of the line or conductor40 by conductor 56 at junction 5].. Branching off of conductor 55, is aconductor 58 connected by branch conductors 59, and 60 to the solenoidcoils SI and 62 of solenoids. ii and 59, respectively. Coil 61 of thevalve actuating solenoid I! is joined by conductor 64 to the cam ac-.tuated contact arm 34 which is adapted to be actuated on rotation of cammember 3 8 A ree t t ct ca r n a m. ver i s he m actuated contact arm 34for cooperation therewith and is i d t th ne ative n cen ime lllbyashortconductor 3 5 Solenoidcoil 32. likes s s l y. i ee t we we e cntest arm 33 by conductor 61 and contact carrying arm 68 associatedtherewith is joined to conductor 46 by a short lead conductor 69. Anindicating light H3 is jumped across the line by means of conductors Hconnected to conductor 56 and conductor l2 connected to the negativeconductor 49.

From an inspection of the cam members 35 and 37, which are rotatablydriven by means of motor 35, it will be recognized that cam 36 isprovided with a notch portion 16 in its periphery while cam 31 isprovided with a projecting ear portion Ti in its periphery. It willfurther be understood that the showing of the cam members 36 and 3'! isschematic herein and designed only to represent any suitable cammingarrangement whereby the solenoid coils 6i and 62 of the valve actuatingsolenoids H and [9 may be alternately energized. In this regard it maybe pertinent to observe that in the preferred arrangement of themotorized camming system of my instant apparatus, I prefer that circuitclosure through contact arm 34, in circuit with the charging valvesolenoid ll, be maintained for approximately eight or nine times thelength of time that circuit closure to solenoid I9 is effected byclosure of contact arm 33. Further it is pertinent to observe that, ineffect cam members 36 and 3.1. are respectively formed to function indirect opposition to one another. That is to say, closing con--. tactbetween contact arm 34 and the contact carrying arm 65 will take placethroughout almost an entire revolution of cam 36 with interruption ofcircuit to solenoid ll through these two contact members occurring onlywhen the follower of the cam actuated contact arm 34 falls downwardlyinto the notch or depression 15 of cam 36. Conversely, circuit closurebetween contact arms 33 and 68 for energizing solenoid I9 occurs onlyduring that portion of the rotational movement of cam 31 wherein theprojecting ear member 1! engages the contact arm 33 to raise the sameupwardly into circuit closing engagement with the overlying contactcarrying member 68. Obviously, the length of time during which either ofthe solenoids I! or 19 are energized may be regulated by appropriatedesign of the cam actuators as desired, with the only essential featurenecessary to successful operation of my present device residing in thefeature of alternately energizing the two valve actuating solenoids l1and !9 so that the valves associated therewith are alternately openedand closed.

Use and operation From the above detailed description oi the severalmechanical features and the electrical circuit employed in my presentapparatus, it will be recognized that successful operation of the devicetakes place somewhat as follows:

To operate my new device, it is first necessary to insert wall plug 38into a suitable receptacle for connecting the same to the source ofelectrical potential, for instance to volt, 60. cycle, A. C. source.Electrical energization of the device. and motorizing oi cam members 3%and 31 is, then accomplished by plunging starter switch 3.0. to closecircuit between contacts 41 and 43 thereof. This permits the flow ofenergy via conductors 39, 42, 44 and 45 to relay coil 47 connected to,the negative side of the line by conductor 49. Flow of energy throughrelay coil 41, of course, actuates he m to t a rel arm .3. 1 m; Gl i Eos r h. c c t us ermitt n e aay' &9 flow via conductors 39, 50 and 5| toterminal 52;

the stop switch is normally in its closed condi tion or bridgedbetweencontacts 52 and 46 there-- of, the second supply circuit to relay coil41 will be completed through conductor 45. Release of the normally openstart switch will then deenergize the starting holding circuittherethrough with the circuit through the relay solenoid 32 beingmaintained through normally closed stop switch 3|, as above explained.Closure of relay contact arm 48 with contact d9 permits energiza tion ofmotor 35 via conductors 50', 5l,'switch '25 and conductors 55 and 56.Conductor 55 also supplies energy to the coils of the two valveactuating solenoids Hand [9 via conductors 58,

59 and 58, 60 respectively. With the motor ener gized, cams 36 and31-will be rotated and in the particular situation illustrated in thedrawings wherein cam 36 is positioned so that the contact follower ofcontact arm 34 is, engaged with the greater diametered portion of itssurface, circuit will be completed through coil iii of solenoid I! toline conductor 46, thus permitting energization of the solenoid I! andthe opening of the charging control valve l6. Air or like compressedfluid at a desired supply pressure, for example, 100 p. s. i. will thenflow through open line control valve I? by means of conduit II. Thecharging chamber [3 will then be filled with the pressurized fluid whichis transmittable therefrom to the container being charged by means ofhose connector lfi-and hose [4. As heretofore explained, cam 36 is sodesigned that energization of solenoid I! takes place during a timeinterval approximately nine times the length of the energization periodof solenoid 19. Therefore, so long as solenoid l1 remains energizedpressurized fluid will continue to flow through charging chamber [3 to acon- .tainer connected to the charging hose connec tion Hi. When the camfollower on contact arm 34 falls downwardly into recess 16 of cam 36,circuit through solenoid coil. 6| will be interrupted and valve l 6 willclose to interrupt the supply of pressurized fluid to charging chamber[3. Due to the arrangement of the cam members 36 and 31 with the closingof valve E6, the measuring control valve I8 will simultaneously belifted as projection H of cam 3'! raises contact arm 33 to close circuitwith contact carry-- ing arm 68 and energize solenoid coil 62. Upon thisoccurrence the pressurized air in chamber l3 and the containerbeing'filled will flow into measuring chamber 26 where its pressure willbe registered on the scale of pressure gauge 2!. If p'erchance thepressure of the fluid thus measured in chamber 20 is excessively high,the same will be vented off by lifting of the pressure responsive safetyvalve 22. her 20 will also simultaneously pass to the dia-- phragm ofpressure responsive switch by means of conduit 23. If the pressure ofthe fluid acting on switch 25 is in excess of the predetermined valueset thereon, the same will force contact arm 26 thereof to break circuitconnection with contact 53 andthus interrupt ener-- gization of motor tointerrupt the cyclic operation of valves it and. i8 by halting therotational functioning of cams 76 and 17. In the normal operation of adevice of this character wherein a jet engine storage or shipping tankis to'be charged with air at 5 p. s. i., the cyclic opening and closingof charging valve l6 and the subsequent measuring of the pressure inthecontainer by lifting of the measuring valve l6 Pressure in chaintoemit fluid from chamber l3- to chamber 26 will" take place many timesbefore the desired 5 pound level isreached to cause interruptionof thecircuit by the actuation of the pressure responsive switch 25. As afurther guarantee against overcharging of the container and to permitthe manual interruption of the devices operation as desired, opening ofthe stop switch 3| likewise stops the device by interrupting the circuitto the relay- 32.

It will be thus recognized that I have provided a new and improved fluidcharging apparatus capable of automatic and safe operation of thecharg-- ing of containers to a desired pressure level. Itfurther will beappreciated that the motorized camming arrangement by which thealternate and time sequential operation of the charging control andpressure measuring control valvesof my device takes place, permits awide rangea'nd variation in the charging and pressure measuring periodsof an apparatus of this character by merely changing the cam design.Thus a range of utility for specific instances and operations inadapting my device "to awide variety of uses is readily apparent.Further, while K have herein described and illustrated by device asrelated to particular embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated thatnumerous changes, modifications and substitions of equivalents may bemade therein without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the specificembodiment of my invention herein illustrated and described except asmay appear in the following appended claims.

I claim:

1. Fluid dispensing apparatus of the class described, comprising incombination, a charging chamber, means for supplying pressurized fluidto said charging chamber, charging control valve means for controllingthe admission of fluid to said charging chamber, filling connectivemeans: for interconecting said chamber with a containerto be filled withpressurized fluid, a pressure measuring chamber communicating with saidcharging chamber, measuring control valve means for controlling theadmission of fluid to said measuring chamber, pressure measuring meanscommunicating with said measuring chamber, pressure responsiveelectrical switch means arranged to operatively respond to a preselectedfluid pressure in said measuring chamber, cam means arranged to causethe alternate opening and closing of said two named control valve means,and a motor in circuit with said switch means and having drivingconnection with said cam means; charging and measuring of fluid to thecontainer being alternated in response to the sequential opening andclosing of said two named control valve means with such functioningbeing interrupted when the fluid in said container has attained saidpreselected pressure whereby said switch means will open circuit to saidmotor;

2. A fluid dispensing apparatus of the class described for filling acontainer with pressurized fluid, comprising, a charging chamber havingconnection with a source of pressurized fluid, a first solenoid actuatedcontrol valve operable to periodically admit pressurized fluid to saidcharging chamber, means having connection with said charging chamber fortransmitting fluid therefrom to a container to be filled, a pressuremeasuring chamber communicating with said charging chamber, pressuremeasuring m a s o muni at n -,w th@ aid Pre ur s ne ha er eson l e idiswat d rq a erab o peri d call dmit re two named solenoidactuated valvesby alternately closing electrical contact means in circuit with theactuating solenoids thereof, and pressure responsive switch means incircuit with I said Q Ql nd anged 1 2ml Tp i i l t y? preselectedpressure in said measuringchamber whereby said container will bechargedwithfiuid untilrsaid pre ecte s r s mie as, b en. ched h r iFluid d s en in ena tusoi hfi la s d r d for u tiqe l har i g anemia-manwith pressurized fluid at a preselected pressure,

comprising in combination, a charging chamber having connection with asource of pressurized fluid, first solenoid actuated valve means in saidchamber for controlling the admission of pressurized fluid thereto,container filling. connective means communicating- With said chargingchain; ndg qnst s d o Qnne t nwit 6 ine r i l e fa sssut e mea r mbe fcommunicating with saidcharging chamber and I having neans for measuringthe pressure of fluid therein second solenoid actuated valve meansdisposed between; said two named chambers for controlling the admissionof fluid to said measuring chamber, pressure responsive switch meansresponsive toa preselected pressure within said measuring chamber, andmotor driven cam means sequentially controlling actuation of said twovnamed solenoid actuated valve means I and 7 having circuitconnectionwith said pressure responsive switch means whereby, opening otsaid first valve means will permit charging of fluid to said container,closing of said first valve means d'c p ninso sa d sew da mea s w l c semeasuring of the fluid pressure within said-com tainer and opening ofsaid switchmeans will,

altf he opera i n aid t r n p means No references cited.

